Principals’ Ad Hoc Meeting

Hattie Mae White Building – 1E01

September 5, 2012

7:30 – 9:00 a.m.

Welcome/Introductions—Mark Smith

Mark opened the meeting at 7:30 a.m. To avoid pulling principals out of their building for additional meetings, the Principals’Ad Hoc Committee meeting will be held at 7:30 a.m. on the same day as the Districtwide Principals’ meeting. Representationon the AdHoc committee is made up ofone representative for each SIO. The focus is to get principals’input on districtwide issues and provide information.

Analytics for Education (A4E) Dashboards and Reports—Leng Fritsche

The Principals AdHoc committee was the first group to see thisdashboard prototype. Leng explained the functions and availability, drop-down menu options, and profiles embedded in each section. The areas on the Dashboard include: finance, staff, student data, alerts, work orders, grading-cycle performance, and teacher absences.The modules included are: SAP, STAAR/EOC, Chancery, Grade Speed,and Campus online. Leng asked for volunteers to form a focus group to get input on system development. A signup sheet was distributed.

Dr. Grier stated that the dashboard should reflect the district’s positioning statement and what is needed to move the organization forward. He encouraged the AdHoc principalsto provide suggestions to the development team. He stated that this dashboard should give the principals a real-time pulse on their schools.

Communications—Aggie Alvez & Lupita Hinojosa

Lupita stated that all communication to principals and school staff would come through the Academic Services website. She stated that it was essential that principals be informed of all activities, requests, etc. coming to his/her campus and thus no department would directly communicate with campus-based staff. All communications would come through Academic Services to principals and each principal would then have the ability to review the items, assign and forward the items to staff members, and also be able to track deadlines through their outlook calendar.

Lupita presented the website and askedthe AdHoc Committee for feedback. She reviewed the format which includes:

  • Preview of the item for a quick summary;
  • Function to “send item” directly to staff;
  • Function to “add to outlook” calendar;
  • Items posted should have a two-week due date;
  • Listing of all items by departments for the week; and
  • Listing of items (hot linked) due by Friday of the same week.

Principals made the following recommendations:

  • Add due date as part of the title link for items which have deadlines;
  • Change color of the due date on the title link;
  • Create link on Academic Services’ site to Board Agenda items, minutes, etc.
  • Create a Master Calendar which would include compliance, testing, professional development activities as categories.

Aggieasked for feedback from the AdHoc committeeon the district’s communication. She explained that the district now has a blog, tweets in English and Spanish, and Friday e-News in English and Spanish for both the community and the employees. She stated that the district was moving the current website to the Schoolwires platform which will not only give the district website a new look, but will also make it more user-friendly. Aggie also pointed out thatseveral central departments are currently using newsletters, blogs, and other forms of communications to reach out to schools. She stated that the district’s communication plan is to harness the energy, creativity, and news items in a way that is most useful not only for the schools, but also for the parents and community at large. She asked for the Ad Hoc committee to provide input as the communication mediums begins to roll out.

Capital and Low Value Asset Policies—Ken Huewitt

Ken stated that for insurance purposes, the district must account for every item in its inventory. The Hayes software(with a hand-held wand)is currently used to track library books. Many schools are also currently using the Hayes software system to track their capital assets such as computers, furniture, and equipment.

Ken stated that in the near future, the controller’s office will stop tracking assets under $5,000. How will schools keep track of these assets? He stated that the district was recommending the purchasing of Tip Web, an asset tracking software system designed to provide a comprehensive tracking solution for schools and districts (see attachment).

The AdHoc committee discussed several ways that they were currently tracking their inventory. Many stated that they had developed their own system since the district was still using a “paper-pencil” system. The Superintendent expressed concern about the different systems being used. He stated that it is now time to have one system; the district must move away from paper and pen system of inventory. All principals agreed that the purchase of a district wide electronic system was imperative to not only track the district’s inventory, but also to provide a more efficient and effective system to be used at the schools.

Concerns:

  • Several principals voiced a concern about PC2 forms that have been submitted and yet equipment, furniture, etc. continue to pile up in the buildings waiting for pick up. There appears to be a delay in the response of picking up furniture and equipment at the schools.

Response:

  • Leo Bobadilla stated that his team (Construction and Facility Services /CFS) would work on expediting the PC2 pick-up process and improve the warehouse system.
  • Ken also stated that the district is researching avenues to automate the PC2 process and improve the work-flow issues that principals are experiencing.

Items Submitted

  1. Advanced Compensation- The information being communicated needs to be succinct and standardized. Why couldn’t people who have vacation days donate days to others? Or can those who never use their vacation days from previous years use them to “pay-back” for themselves and others? The lowest paid staff is being hurt the hardest.

The Superintendent and Ken provided responses:

  • Retirees have alreadypaid the district back at the time of retirement;
  • At the time of exit; all employees complete the “pay-back”;
  • The law does not let us “gift” funds- pay employees what they have not earned;
  • All options will be investigated and reviewed by legal counsel; and
  • HISD cares about all employees and will do the right thing within the law.
  1. Human Resources-HR is not efficiently processing new hires. HR is not communicating status of new hires to the principals. It appears as if fingerprinting is holding back the new hires. Why cannot the district negotiate to have the fingerprinting done in HISD? There is not a candidate pool. When principals call for applicants, they have to wait weeks for an applicant. Or when they call for applicants from the pool, the applicants have already been hired. A recommendation was made to usevideo clips of the applicants so as to facilitate the selection of applicants to interview. The Ad Hoc expressed frustration with the lack of communication with the HR department. Phone calls are being directly sent to voice mail and no one returns phone calls.
  2. Rodney Watson stated that he is currently reviewing every aspect of Human Resources (H.R.) – especially what is not working. He stated that he would provide an update to the Principal Ad Hoc Committee in the following months.
  1. Cafeteria Keys – Principals and PO need keys to the school kitchens. A school had a small fire in the kitchen and they had no way to get into the kitchen as neither the principal nor the PO had keys.
  2. Leo Bobadilla stated that he would research this concern and provide a response. The Superintendent stated that principals needed to have access to all areas of their building.
  1. Principal Contracts- Will principals be given more than a one-year contract?
  2. Yes, currently, every principal will receive a one-year contract. In October, after the student performance data arrives, contracts will be reviewed and new multi-year (1, 2, or 3) contracts will be issued accordingly.
  1. Protocol for Submitting Agenda Items- Principal AdHoc committee members may submit agenda items via e-mail to Lupita Hinojosa at on or before 12:00 noon the Monday of the meeting week. The minutes will be published through the Academic Services memos.

Submit Items before 12:00 noon / Meeting Date / Time / Location
October 1, 2012 / October 3, 2012 / 7:30 a.m. / 1E01-02
November 5, 2012 / November 7, 2012 / 7:30 a.m. / 1E01-02
December 3, 2012 / December 5, 2012 / 7:30 a.m. / 1E01-02
January 7, 2013 / January 9, 2013 / 7:30 a.m. / 1E01-02
February 4, 2013 / February 6, 2013 / 7:30 a.m. / 1E01-02
April 8, 2013 / April 10, 2013 / 7:30 a.m. / 1E01-02
April 29, 2013 / May 1, 2013 / 7:30 a.m. / 1E01-02
June 10, 2013 / June 12, 2013 / 7:30 a.m. / 1E01-02

Meeting was adjourned at 9:00 a.m.

Attachments:

  • Agenda
  • Asset Tracking Solutions for HISD

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